Echo
by xMarintax
Summary: They didn't know how their lives would end up – nor did they expect things to turn out like this. It just happened, and they were to accept that...Right? OCs/AU of the Dragon Age World.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

The sun seemed to flicker through the forest close towards Lake Calenhad. The trees let a the bone-chilling breeze through, letting it slap the creatures and humans a like to wince and shudder. The orange and yellow hued leafs seemed to cling to their home, not wanting to get dragged off by the wind that slipped its way pass.

One of the three siblings could agree that their effort was meaningless, since soon after the wind blew and they flinched, the leafs drifted and floated off.  
Something Boots Knox _wished_ he could do.

His two siblings next to him were talking to one another. His elder sister, Lyida, was pushing his younger brother, Remni, to the side after a comment he made about her and her obvious lack of lover.

Boots couldn't help but to roll his eyes at this, muttering under his breath. "You know, if you're worried about her being loveless, then find her a suitor." He was used to needing to fit his way into a conversation. Especially one about suitors.

"Just because it worked on _you_, Boots," His sister started, hands on her hips and cheeks puffed. "doesn't mean it'll work on me. By the way, how _is he_ anyway?"

Boots couldn't help but to feel a heat on his tanned skin, fist clenching as he glared at his sister. "_She_ is doing fine, thank you very much." He grumbled under his breath, his younger brother laughing.

"Regardless," Remni slipped the conversation back onto the subject beforehand. He seemed to be a more mature one out of the siblings. His thin body structure and lean arms proven to be weak and near worthless in battle, unlike his siblings who were a tank and an even tankier warrior. "We should head towards town soon; mum and dad would start to think that Boots killed us in a rage."

Boots glared at his younger brother, and Lyida nodded in agreement, adjusting the bag on over her shoulder and patting the dirt on her dress. "He has a point, Boots." She looked towards her brother, with a smile on her face that clashed with his frown.

Boots just huffed, crossing his arms and glancing towards the Circle, which was visible through the top of the trees.

Today was going to be _long._

* * *

The Circle tower was busier than ever, as Mages and Templar ran about. Mages quickly gathered their books as the Templar ushered them into their corridors.

Apparently, a Mage had escaped a few hours ago and the whole Circle was under lock down. Or something along those lines. Aki never had gotten a straight answer no matter how mange Mages and Templar she asked. Once she was ushered into a room with a bunch of other Mages, she sighed and brought a hand down her face, grumbling an odd cruse in Elvin.

Her ears twitched behind her as a hand fell onto her shoulder. With a quick glance, she couldn't help but to smile at the taller, leaner male before her. His grey-purple eyes showed a great amount of kindness and care.

"We're going to be stuck here in a while." He said, gently pushing her away from the door and the cluttering Mages who stared at each other in panic. "It's best that we sit down and relax for a while."

Aki couldn't help but to nod in agreement, getting out of his grasp and rubbing her pale-green eyes. The man who dragged her away from the door was her long time friend, Companion. Of course, 'Companion' wasn't his actual name, which was actually 'Niththal Narésryl', but it was a name he preferred.

Once the two Elves managed to find a spare bed to sit on, Aki flopped onto her back, her orange bangs falling onto her face like a cloud. "We're going to be stuck here for a couple of hours, aren't we Companion?" She asked, her eyes glancing towards him with a soft smile on her lips.

The older elf nodded, exhaling noisily as he nodded. "Sadly, we are." He leaned back, his dark-purple dragging up as he moved. "You're Harrowing is tomorrow, right?"

The question caused Aki to frown as she turned around, facing away from him and grumbling like a child. She loathed the ever so popular Harrowing and the anxiety that came with it. It was a thing that every Mage needed to do before they reach eighteen, and it sadly fell on her birthday.

"Mhm." Was the only response she gave him before he shook his head and looked towards the group of Mages talking and worrying about which one of their kind escaped.

The town was in as much of a panic as the Circle was when the Knox siblings entered it. People were looking wearily whenever somebody walked by their shops, home or even family. Neither of siblings could blame them, for most of the Apostates that fled the Circle were Blood Mages, but it they couldn't help but to feel their stomach turn. Especially for Lyida whose frown was as noticeable as their tan skin.

Some of the village folk, the few who knew the Knox family by name, stared at them in anxiety and panic shutting all doors and stalls nearly instantly.

That couldn't be good.

* * *

Lyida cursed through her teeth as Boots took a step forward, a stern frown forming on his face. An older stall owner quickly sped his way towards the siblings, a worried look on his face.

The man before him was an old family-friend, Walter, who bared a scar that laced across the bridge of his noise down to the bottom of his chin. His gery-green eyes showed worried as did the frown that formed on his lips. His walk was hobbled, showing which legged was still injured during the great Rebellion many years into his past.

"You three should get going here," The old man said, putting a hand on both Lyida's and Boots' shoulders, Remni being glad to be left out of this one. "There'll be Templar a foot here, and knowing you Missy," He looked towards Lyida, his eyes shining with concern. "There'll be trouble."

Lyida just had a look of panic fall on her as she nodded, listening to Walter. She looked back towards her brothers, Remni who stared off and Boots who had a frown curving on his face.

"How do you know they'll be...?" Lyida asked, her voice low and her look stern towards the old man. Her body was nearly shaking under his weak grip, which wasn't something she liked.

"I just know, missy." Walter said with a stern look, forcing them towards the entrance of the town. "Tell your mother and father I bid them well."

With his soft shove, Lyida gestured her siblings to follow, both of them sighing and following along. They knew they couldn't linger in a town expecting a group of well trained Templar coming to rip it a part for an Apostate, only to find their sister.

But as they hurried their way away from the city, both Boots and Lyida couldn't help but to get a turning feeling in their chest and a bitter taste in their throats. Something was going to happen, and they both knew it.

The trees around them bared a secret that kept the Mage hidden, and Ser Cuán Fehér wanted to know it. The wind whispered through the branches and leafs, but none of his Templar behind him even shivered. They were on a mission. A mission, Cuán had hoped that would send _him_ through the ranks as the Knight-Commander of the Circle's Mages.

This mission was simple, and as he glared towards his Templar behind him, one that he needed to remind the simple minded idiots.

"Men!" He barked, causing them to tense up and stare start at him. Cuán could tell from how their eyes wander that they were afraid of him, and that's how he wanted it to be. "We need to find the Apostate that fled not even 5 hours ago. She should be noticeable from her white hair and purple markings."

His men nodded, the one in front pausing and frowned. He seemed...At ill-ease. And Cuán judged that as a weakness. His near-white eyes narrowed at the Templar before him, his stare connecting with the Blighted fool's eyes before he broke connection.

"If _any of you_ let her free," His voice was stern and his glare showed that he meant every word he was saying. "I'll lunge this very blade into your heart." He un-seethe a mighty Great-Sword, letting his men take a good, hard look at it. "Understand?"

The Templar before him gulped and nodded, some of them in a panic. Most of them in fear. Cuán turned away from his men and marched on towards the small village.

That village always held Apostates once they fled, Cuán time and time again demanded the Knight Commander and her Grace to them to burn that village down to ash, but each and every time they just shook their heads at him. Saying that he could be a great Templar if he learned about feelings.

_Feelings_ were the reason why every Mage escaped after all, they were _scared_ of the Templar, which they should be, and Cuán wanted nothing to do with them. For her Grace or the Maker.

He brought out hid Great-Sword once an old man with a scar down the bridge hobbled towards them. He was the village leader, Cuán had assumed years ago. He was always the one to meet the Templar and try to talk them out of the village in fear.

Cuán bared no pity for him or the village, something he believed his fellow Templar lacked. Once the old man made it up to them, he didn't waste a moment trying to defend himself.

"Serah Fehér!" The old man said with a smooth smile on his face, causing the scar to ripple. "Might I ask why you and your Templar are out on such a chilly day as this?"

Cuán had his eyes narrowed and a steady frown on his face, as he grabbed a hold of the old man by the collar of his shirt and thrusting him into the air to his level.

"I'm _not_ here to fool around, old man." Cuán's voice was as unsympathetic as his glare and over all appearance. "You and I both know why I'm here – spill it out. Where's the _girl._"

His men seemed shock over his behaviour, some of them stepping from foot to foot and others looking at the old man in sympathy. None of them wanted to be at the end of Cuán's blade.

The old man didn't even flinch, just hung there with a calm smile on his face. "Serah Fehér, you know we stopped holding Mages since the year of the-"

"Stop lying oldman." Cuán snarled, his Great-Sword coming closer to the old man's throat. "I'll murder you and this whole town if you don't let out her out." His blade was pointed towards his throat, it just lightly touching the skin and causing the old man to gulp.

Beads of sweat were dripping from his forehead and down his chin, and his throat bubbled against the blade. The scar'd old man needed to keep them safe, the warrior and the spirit crasher.

Once Cuán realized he wasn't going to get an answer out of this old bastard, he slid his blade through his throat. Blood squirted out of the man's neck and onto Cuán's amour before he threw him onto the ground.

Glaring towards his men, Cuán pointed his sword towards the village. People were already trying to rush out, their eyes wide and screams silent. "Burn this town to the ground." Cuán growled, his near-white eyes sending straight out hatred for this small place.

His men hesitated before Cuán threw his blade towards one of them, the sword going through the small space between his helmet and amour. Once the Templar was down in gasping for air, the rest ran towards the buildings and trashing through the doors.

Villagers were screaming and grabbing their children, the Templar setting flame and trashing the homes. Chickens, dogs and cats fled their homes as well, dogs barking and children crying.

Cuán just watched this play out, yanking his blade out of his fellow Templar. A young Elf woman managed to run away from a group of Templar, her clothing in rags and her bright turquoise eyes shining with tears and fear. She made her way to the source of this problem and fell onto her knees, gasping from tears and terror.

Cuán just stared at her with a blank look, turning around towards the girl with his Great-Sword in hand. "Speak, Elf." He hissed, blade pointed towards her in a threatening manner.

The Elfen women just nodded quickly, breathing in sharply. "The Ma-Mage," She stammered out, her body trembling. "Sh-She went to the m-mansion outside of Lake Calenhad – on the h-hill side."

A small, entertained smirk grew on Cuán's face. He brought his blade away, causing the women to breathe slowly before he slammed it against the back of her head- killing her instantly.

So, the Knox were holding illegal Mages? This caused his smirk to grow as he waved his men to stop their range of terror. Things were going to get rather interesting...

* * *

The smoke and orange flame was noticeable from the Circle, and many of the Mages were crowding around the windows in a mess of anxiety and awe. Some were murmuring about the escaped Mage setting it, while others thought it was just a wild fire that over took the village. Even Aki had a few opinions of her own about this.

She thought it was the Templar who wanted to fish out the Mage and any other they forgot during the years. The other Mages were raising a brow at her theory and saying how it was only causing the younger ones to get even more afraid.

This caused the orange hair Elf to flop back over on the bed Companion was sleeping on, sighing rather loudly. Her Harrowing was tomorrow, the woods were on fire and everything was crazed. Just what she needed.

Swinging her bare feet back and forth lazily, Aki's ears caught the sound of the doors handle opening. Were they about to be let out soon? The room was getting rather stuffy.

Just as everyone were hurrying towards the door, hearing the noise Aki did, the swung open with the Knight Commander and the First Enchanter side by side. The Mages stopped in their rush to the door, the elder ones whispering to one another in discomfort.

The Knight Commander forced his way through, Templar following on foot as the First Enchanter looked down in disappointment.

"Where's Lithos?" The Knight Commander barked, causing human and elf Mage alike to look towards one another then towards the back of the room where she sat. Companion roused from his sleep minutes ago, and had a defensive hold on Aki. The pale-eyed Elf just gulped when Templar and Commander came closed – one yanking Companion off of her in a ruthless fashion and the other jerking her up by her wrist.

Before Aki could scream out her questions, the Knight Commander had a demanding glare, his eyes burning into her's. She trembled then, her ears lowing. She suddenly lost her voice right then, and as the Knight Commander ordered his Templar to drag her with them, all she could do was look back at her friend in fright.

What did she do now...?

* * *

The Knox siblings ran through the forest once the flames started to tower over them, Lyida shouting demands at them and urging them to go one. Both Remni and Boots listened, neither of them wanting to argue when Templar were this close.

Pushing her way through branches to leave the main path, Lyida's blue-grey eyes stung. Looking behind to her siblings, she barked at them to keep up, holding into her own gut as she did so.

"We can't just _run away_ from the Templar, Lyida!" Boots yelled his breath heavy. "They'll think we're hiding an Apostate on us!" His comment caused his older sister to finally slow down and pant, her body shaking with fear.

"What would you say if we took them _home_? Mum and father would bitch us out and-" Boots was quickly silenced by a heavy-handed slap. He stared at his sister, his eyes wide from the shock of it all.

"I _know_ what mum and father would do, Boots!" Lyida snapped gesturing to herself. "They'll _bitch me_ out after they figure out why they Templar are even at our doorstep!"

Before Boots even had a chance to response, Lyida kept on her outburst, her fist connecting hard against a tree. A cracking sound was herd, but it was too loud to be her fist shattering.

"Just shut up and be quite like Remni and perhaps we'll listen to what you have to brood, _got it Boots_?"

All he did then was nod, never seeing his sister act his way before. He didn't know if he should react how he usually would or be sniffing child. As his sister storm off and Remni gave him a glare, he kept his mouth shut and followed.

The footsteps and shouts of Templar were heard from behind, and that caused Lyida and Remni to speed up. Boots followed along in silence. He would suggest going another way, the tree Lyida somehow cracked obviously showing the way they went, but he choose against his thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Hours passed since they started through the forest, and Cuán was slowly getting annoyed at this Templar lack of determination to find this Mage. They _knew_ where the Knox's lived, it was common knowledge at this point and time, but there was a feeling that Cuán couldn't shake about the forest and it's...Inhabits.

Before he could order his men to search through every bush and tree of this Blighted woods, one of his Templar came at him from inside the forest, claiming felt a tree that was touched by lyrium wielder.

This caused Cuán to smirk, demanding his men through that trail with a boom of his voice. All of them scurried off, other than the one who told him about the tree. Cuán had something planned for him...

The Templar ran throughout the forest, most with swords and others with torches. They sliced through tree branches, and force their way past brushes, many of them shouting at one another for ideas.

From the foot-steps, they could assume there were _three_ of them.

"Three Mages or three people?" A Templar had asked another, his medium-high voice echoing through his helmet. The other Templar ignored him, keeping down the path claiming they'll light up the forest into flames if there was more than one Mage.

The Templar couldn't help but to agree with them, no matter how delayed his reaction was to their angry shouts and trashing.

The trees were dense and the sun was disappearing fast. Many of them figured the Mage would freeze to death or use its allies as blood marital before they manage to catch up with it. Most of them thought otherwise once Cuán made his way through with fresh blood dripping from his blade.

"We'll go through this forest until dawn's light." His voice boomed as his eyes looked towards the men before them. "If we head back now, we'll lose them."

What Cuán was keeping hidden from them was this was a mission neither of them could come back empty handed, for if they did they'll most likely die from _his_ hands and his hands alone.

He'd blame the Mage for their deaths.

The forest was dark, and from the few shouts of Templar behind, Lyida didn't take anything for chance. She yanked her brothers' arms if they were dragging behind, she growled and threaten to set their worldly objects up in flames once they head home if they didn't _move the Blight on_.

Lyida was panicking, and Boots could tell. Speeding up to catch up to his sister, Boots looked at her with a look of worry on his face. He knew Lyida was about to snap at them again for lagging behind, even _if_ it was only Remni and not him.

"Lyida, I think we need to turn away here." He said, voice horse and cracking. "The Templar are tailing onto us, and if we keep on going this way..." He left the last bit of his sentence quite down, a steady frown on his face.

Lyida just glared at him, stopping in her steps. Her glare seemed to cause him to gulp. He wasn't use to seeing his sister like this: she was usually so cheerful. Her glare seemed to weaken as she sighed, pushing her hair back, breathing heavily.

"You're right, Boots, you're right." She seemed shaken, even more so once she realized her brother was correct. "If we trick them, then we can make it. Right...Right..." She nodded towards her brothers pushing some of the bushes out of the way before stepping through, stepping away into the darkness.

Remni, who hadn't spoke until then, looked towards his older brother. He seemed rather childish compared to Boots: His eyes were slightly wider, and his lean body didn't help mask his obvious childish look.

"Do you think Lyida is a...?" He didn't really want to finish his sentence, fearing the response from Boots. If she was one of those, it would make a lot of sense. Especially with her fighting and warrior skills.

Boots stared at him, a small line on his face. Pushing Remni through the bushes, he muttered in a small, silent tone. "Shut up and get through." He didn't want to think about it. If his sister was really a Mage, she would have told them _years_ ago when she was showing signs.

Not now when Templar were afoot.

Lyida was waiting impatiently, her foot tapping and her arms crossed. Her brows were lowered that to a worried expression. Once her siblings finally made it through the bush, she stared at them before counting on.

Both Remni and Boots looked at each other in worry, Remni gesturing towards their sister and Boots shaking his head. Once their silent squabbling were over, the followed her in silence. Not one of them daring to talk as the shouts and stomps were getting louder.

They all had a right to be fearful.

* * *

Aki was forced into a cell, her body shaking and her eyes wide. Not even hours before, she was interrogated for the where abouts of Autumn Winters – the Mage who escaped hours ago. She had no clue where she was, and even spilled a few truths about how Autumn was acting wildly a few nights ago, calming she was evading other Mages like the pledge.

The Knight-Commander scoffed at her responses, claiming to the First Enchanter that she was lying, that it was obvious to him. She was left alone for a couple of hours, and she had a horrible feeling in her gut.

Aki had a bad feeling about this, it gotten even worse when one of the Templar that was left behind from the search made his hourly rounds. It was hard to see his face, and his voice was muffled was the helmet. He did torment some of the other Mages in the cells, one of them whose hands were bind by something that stopped them from using magic.

She did try to ask him once the Templar left them for the other cells, leaning against her cell to get a good look at him. He seemed...Winnie, like many of the other male Mages of the circle. He had dark shadows under his eyes and some stubble on his face. His messy black hair stopped him from looking towards her, but she was certain he was broken down more than once.

"What's your name?" Aki had asked, eyes darting towards the back of the Templar as he walked away. "I'm Aki Lithos."

The man seemed to stiffen, his mouth opening to speak but no words came out. Aki instantly took pity on the poor Mage – it was obvious he was locked up in here for too long. But...What was stopping them from just killing him or made him tranquil?

She shuffled awkwardly in her cell, leaning against the bars. Closing her eyes she tried to drift off into the Fade in vain to get a demon to take pity on her soul, when she heard a muffled, quite voice. Her ears twitched, and her body tensed.

The poor man kept trying to speak, getting Aki's full attention. Once he did spoke, she couldn't help but to fall into silence.

"I know a way out..." His voice was weak and nearly foreign – it had a soft accent that Aki couldn't put a finger on. "I know a way to get free..." The man coughed, wincing and wanting to cover his stomach.

Aki tried to help him, but the bars were between them and laced with a powder that stung to the touch. The man seemed to notice her concern and smiled, his eyes softening. "Worry not, ma'dam Lithos, for I am weak..." He winced, before looking at the girl again. "To get free, you must find the Templar with the pale eyes."

Aki quirked a brow, frowning but nodding. How _why_ a Templar would let them free? Wasn't it their duty to keep them locked up? Before she could ask a question, the Templar on duty passed by knocking on the bars and causing her to panic and surrey back.

A Templar will pale eyes that sent Mages free. She was certain this was a set up, and when the cell with the sicken Mage opened and Templar dragged him away.

_She_ felt alone.

* * *

Lyida's breath was gone, her chest was in pain, and her legs were weak. Her siblings were in better condition, and Remni was about to faint from the amount of running he did throughout the night.

Boots glared behind them, the troches of the Templar close and her could nearly smell their sweat and hear their grunts. "Sis – did you bring your crossbrow?" His sister's hesitation was all the answer he needed. He cursed loudly, taking out his mix-matched daggers from their sheaths.

Even Remni knew what he was doing, and glanced towards him, his breath rash and hurting to speak. So his sister spoke his thoughts for him.

"You're an idiot, Boots!" She coughed, her voice hurting and aching and her arm weakly grabbing a hold of Boots' shoulder before dragging him back and throwing both him and Remni into a bush.

"I'll be running ahead – stay back here." Lyida sounded like she didn't knew what she was going to do. She was going to risk _herself_ for her siblings, and Boots didn't like that.

He forced himself up but felt stuck – like he was...Paralyzed. Remni was also frozen, his eyes wide and mouthing out his words. Lyida just smiled weakly, before zipping off in the opposite direction.

The sound of Templar footsteps were heard just outside their little bush hide-away, one of them yelling at their fellow Templar.

"Move your asses – find the other two who fled with her! We _need_ that Mage!"

Boots caught a sight of the commander, noticing his pale grey eyes. Those pale eyes that would haunt him for years to come. He was certain the Commander saw him and smirk, pointing his great-sword towards the direction Lyida went seconds ago.

"This way – the blasted Mage went this way!" The commander, Cuán, shouted watching his men run down the path. "There's nothing in the bushes from here on out, don't care about her companions they're dead anyway!"

Boots looked over to his younger brother, whose eyes were wide with fear and anxiety. None of them knew what to do even when the paralyzation spell faded and the Templar left.

_They_ were left alone.

* * *

Lyida's legs were about to give, and the torches of the Templar were close. She heard the shouts of Cuán close behind, and choked out of fear. Even with her limited amount of magic, she was still trapped.

Her foot slammed against a branch, causing the wind to get knock out of her once she crashed onto the ground. She shook, trying to grasp for air and reach towards a branch. Her body was in pain and the shouts were coming closer and louder—

"Where _is_ the Mage?" Cuán shouted, his eyes wide and stabbing his sword into the bushes in a mad furry.

Lyida was grateful that she found a way to drag herself against a tree and away from Cuán's furry. Her eyes were dry and her throat was cracking in pain. Cuán, whom she was assuming was their Commander, yelled at Templar. When one of them came up towards him to talk some sense into him, he sliced his blade under his helmet and under his chin.

Once he yanked his sword out, blood seemed to go everywhere and stain the landscape. Lyida couldn't help but to gasp, stepping back and snapping a branch under her foot.

She couldn't help to freeze, and Cuán glared towards the bushes. His Templar seemed to keep the near-dead and bleeding Templar from flailing about, their glances following their commander.

Once all eyes were on her, she tried to step back, her heart thrashing in her chest. Cuán threw his sword onto that ground, taking a few loud steps towards the bushes, towards _Lyida_, his hands reaching out to reach for her.

She panicked. Her breath in stuck in her throat, causing her to choke. Causing her to panic. She thwacked his hands _hard_, her hands glowing in a light purple hue.

Cuán hissed in pain, bringing his hands close and glaring towards his men. "After her! Now!" He looked towards his now throbbing hands, them weaving with blue veins.

She paralyzed his hands. She _injured_ his hands. Growling and yanking his sword from the ground, wincing in pain, and chased after her. Shoving his men from his way, shouting.

Lyida was close to tears. The forest around her seemed to get tighter and tighter. The braches tried to grab a hold of her clothing, ripping it and causing her to rip her arms about. Sticks and leafs stuck to her, her arms battered and bleeding. She couldn't help but to cry out in pain once a branched whipped across her face, causing her to fall and tumble down onto the ground.

Wincing in pain, Lyida touched her; the branched managed to cut across her face. The scratched area was bleeding and starting to puff up. She didn't have enough time to heal herself, the Templar Commander jumping over the bush behind her.

"Finally, Mage." Cuán growled, whipping his sword to the side of him. The blade slice through a tree branch, causing it to fall between him and his men – one of them getting hit and dragged to the ground from it.

"I've caught you." He brought his sword up above his head, Lyida whimpering and bringing herself back.

Cuán's frown lingered on his lips before his slowly brought his sword down to his side, thrusting it into the ground. Lyida's breathing was rash, but her heart skipped a beat: was he going to spare her...?

Before her thoughts were be finished, could be _hoped_, Cuán grabbed her throat, bringing her into the air before his face. Lyida gagged, her hands trying to rip his hand away her feet swinging in a mad terror.

The Templar who weren't hit by the branch just watched in horror. Even they knew that their mission was to bring at least _once_ back alive. They dared not to say a word however. With that way Cuán was murdering _his_ men...None of him even spoke anymore.

Lyida start to feel her life getting suck away from her, her hands losing their grip on his hand falling towards her sides.

Once she stopped flailing, Cuán threw her into the ground. His men serried, one of the more soft spoken ones was finally looking towards their leader. As Cuán was yanking his blade out of the ground, the smallest one stepped up, mouth opening to speak then closing it. Cuán's seer stance at him caused him to stand back in fear.

"Bring her to the Circle, the other Mage is dead." Cuán walked passed his men, most of them shaking and quickly picking up Lyida. Her breath was weak, but still there and that made many of the Templar sigh in relief.

They dragged her off, following Cuán and the few Templar who openly talked and congratulated him on his days work. Those were the Templar who kissed the Knight Commander's feet every day, claiming that Cuán was the _best_ leader out there.

That he should lead every search mission out there.

That everyone else was _wrong._


End file.
